CalMac finalises dry dock refit programme

Ferry operator CalMac has finalised dry dock arrangements for its fleet this year.

Each of the fleet's 31 vessels is required under Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulations to undertake a period of maintenance every 12 months.

"Arranging dry dock for our fleet is a complex logistical exercise that we try and undertake with minimal potential disruption to our normal services. We appreciate our passengers patience and understanding for the short period of time that they are not served by their normal vessel," said CalMac's operations director, Drew Collier.

"We have many competing demands from the communities we serve during this period and try hard to meet theses where we possibly can."

CalMac is the operator of the UK's largest ferry network. Last year it carried 4.65 million passengers, 1.1 million cars, 92,000 commercial vehicles and 11,000 coaches. It has been serving 49 routes across Scotland's west coast for the past .

Routes on the Clyde that are still to have a vessel dry docked are:

Tarbert Portavadie - MV Lochinvar replaced by MV Loch Tarbert from March 7 to March 21